Talks on forming a coalition government in Germany have collapsed after the free-market liberal FDP pulled out.<\/p>\n
FDP leader Christian Lindner said there was no “basis of trust” with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU\/CSU bloc and the Greens.<\/p>\n
What happens next is unclear, but Mrs Merkel is due to meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has the power to call snap elections.<\/p>\n
Her bloc won September’s poll, but many voters deserted the mainstream parties.<\/p>\n
After winning its first parliamentary seats, the far-right nationalist AfD (Alternative for Germany) vowed to fight “an invasion of foreigners” into the country.<\/p>\n
Mrs Merkel said she regretted the collapse of the talks, adding she would meet the German president later on Monday to formally tell him negotiations had failed.<\/p>\n
“It is a day of deep reflection on how to go forward in Germany,” she said. “As chancellor, I will do everything to ensure that this country is well managed in the difficult weeks to come.”<\/p>\n
Aside from early elections, Mrs Merkel could also form a minority government with the Greens, who are yet to comment.<\/p>\n
German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung called the development\u00a0the worst crisis of Mrs Merkel’s 12 years in office.<\/p>\n
“Today there was no progress but rather there were setbacks because targeted compromises were questioned,” Mr Lindner said.<\/p>\n
“It is better not to rule than to rule falsely. Goodbye!” he added.<\/p>\n
The parties involved in the talks are reported to be deeply divided over tax, asylum and environmental policies.<\/p>\n
The most bitter arguments have been over whether Syrian refugees should be allowed to bring family members to join them in Germany, the BBC’s Jenny Hill reports.<\/p>\n
Mrs Merkel’s conservatives, mindful of the electoral success of the AfD, are cautious and want to extend a moratorium on so-called family reunions, our correspondent adds.<\/p>\n
The second-largest party in parliament, the Social Democrats, have ruled out returning to a coalition government with Mrs Merkel.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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